POGIL was implemented over a four year period in the General Chemistry lecture and laboratory at Harold Washington College, a minority-serving community college in downtown Chicago. During this time, 305 students were directly impacted, learning chemistry in structured small groups and engaging in guided inquiry laboratory experiments. Evaluation of student learning has centered on successful completion rates in the course (a final grade of A, B, or C - up 15% since intervention) and final scores on a standardized American Chemical Society exam (average score essentially unchanged from the control group). These results suggest that more students are completing the course successfully without a significant change in the amount of chemistry being learned. Student interviews and data from the Student Assessment of Learning Gains show that most students value the in-class interactions by the end of the course although some are initially resistant to group work. Strategies used to circumvent this resistance will be shared. Other evaluations suggest an increase in students' logical thinking ability and their chemistry self-concept.

Teaching chemistry with POGIL at an urban, minority-serving community college

246th National Meeting (2013)

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